The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 26, 2003, Image 10

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    Forum
The Battalion
Page 10 • Friday, September 26, 200]!
I
Learning from the past
A&M administrators must include students in the decision-making process
Texas A&M is known for its steadfast tradi
tions, which allow the University to maintain a
consistent identity through time. But when
looking through the history of this great
University, the changes are what have propelled
us to new heights.
Administrators in the past at A&M have suc
ceeded by incorporating the student body into
the decision-making process, and during this
time of change, current administrators should do
the same. Some administrators are learning the
hard way that if current students are not made
part of the decision-making process, Aggies will
integrate themselves into the process through
various student body representative groups.
For example. Transportation Services recently
proposed a new method for handling the renting
of spaces in the Southside Garage with minimal
student input before the garage permit holders
were notified of the possible changes.
The Residence Hall Association passed a res
olution last Wednesday
rejecting TS’ proposal for
reallocating parking
spaces within the garage.
This resolution is backed
by more than 1,000 signa
tures of on-campus resi
dents. Rodney Weis, TS
director, has agreed to
attend the next RHA
General Assembly and has
Chris Mahaffy
invited on-campus students to join an advisory
committee concerning the issue.
Current students may be amazed at the level of
participation that students of the A&M College of
Texas had during some tumultuous times.
In 1898, after the interim commandant of the
Corps of Cadets dropped his position, E. J. Kyle,
Class of 1899, stepped up and ended his senior
year serving as interim commandant.
In the fall of 1963, A&M President James
Earl Rudder, Class of 1932,
initiated a number of new
policies, including changing
the University’s name from
“The Agricultural and
Mechanical College of Texas”
to “Texas A&M University,”
adding three colleges to the
school and admitting 150
women on a limited basis. The
Battalion at the time ended a
paragraph addressing this rapid change by con
cluding, “We feel sure that A&M is here to stay,
and to grow. As for the Corps, we have said
before that only the Corps will decide its fate.”
Essentially, the future of the Corps at that time
was in the hands of the cadets.
In the past three years, we have seen a change
in the University president, the commandant and
the vice president of student affairs, arguably the
three positions with the most influence on the
student body. If A&M has ever seen this mucli
drastic change in its history, it was during tlie
Rudder era, and as in that era, those involved in
the current decision-making must keep foremosi
in their minds the students they serve.
In an ideal system, A&M administrators
would seriously value student input and use the
students’ desire to make an impact on the
University and its policy. We students, like the
first cadets, have that same desire and motivation
necessary to represent fellow Aggies. We should
learn from history that when an administration is
willing to put a growing Texas A&M in the hands
of its Aggies, students and staff can work togeth
er to carry the University to unimagined heights.
(
Colon
Residence Hall Association Presiitn:
Chris Mahaffey is a saw
civil engineering mjor,
MAIL CALL
Searches of computers
by RIAA illegal
In response to a Sept. 24 mail call:
The RIAA is violating the rights of
the public. The RIAA runs search
bots from subsidiary companies
such as BigChampagne.com that
monitor everything downloaded on
your computer, not just in the
shared files you choose. The last
time I checked, I didn’t give consent
to this action, and I doubt anyone
else did. Not only do they use this
evidence to form lawsuits, they fish
it out to radio stations and labels to
let them know which songs the pub
lic wants.
I seriously doubt this is a ‘free’
service.
They are basically hacking under
the guise of defending themselves.
You can’t make the RIAA search
es anything like ‘police randomly
knocking on door and searching for
drugs’. Drugs are an illegal sub
stance, songs aren’t.
Think of it as going into the library
to check out a book. If you let your
friend read it when you are done,
are you violating copyright laws? Do
the ‘book police’ come running to
arrest you?
This pursuit by the RIAA has
spawned many ridiculous suits,
including a Canadian company
seeking losses from doctors and
dentists who play CDs in their wait
ing rooms.
I drive down the road with my win
dows down and the radio going, am
I going to be arrested for that too?
Rick Bowers
Class of 2002
Lemon test had not
legitimate precedent
In response to Jenelle Wilson's
Sept. 24 column:
Everything is based on the
Lemon test. The Lemon test was
derived by the court in Lemon vs.
Kurtzman, but had no legitimate
precedent. In effect, it was the per
sonal opinion of the judges in the
case. The job of the judicial branch
of government is to rule on cases
using the Constitution of the United
States and the original intent of the
authors, not on what they them
selves prefer.
This obviously was not done. The
second and third prongs of the test
are not legitimate if the actions of
the early American government are
considered. One of the first actions
of Congress was to provide for the
printing of Bibles. Thomas
Jefferson, while superintendent of
education in Washington, D.C.,
allowed teachers the use of any
books they chose, but made the use
of the Bible and Watts Hymnal
mandatory. I believe this would now
be considered an “excessive tangle-
ment with religion.”
A serious study of the
Establishment Clause is enough to
show that what is now being pro
claimed as Constitutional Law has
no bearing on what the original
intentions of the authors were.
Timothy Cook
Graduate Student
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less and include Ihe
author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for
length, style and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid stu
dent ID. Letters also may be mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX 77843-1 111. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcalK&'thebattalion.net
E arlier
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by the Bush ad
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punishment has
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bill allows Urib
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have some limii
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transfer some a:
out of jail.
The bill fails
challenge the pi
It's time to act tjour copy.
P ICKING UP your 2003 /Igg/e/andyearbook is
easy. If you ordered a book, look for the dis
tribution table in front of the Reed McDonald
Building. (Go to the Reed McDonald basement
in case of inclement weather.) Please bring
your Student ID. If you did not order last years
Texas A&M University yearbook (the 2002-2003
school year), you may purchase one for $40 plus
tax in Room 015 Reed McDonald. Hours: 9 a.m.-
4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Cash, check, VISA,
MasterCard, Discover and American Express,
Aggie Bucks accepted.
2003 Aggieland
New
G
onside
develo
state a
| government, it si
the United State:
21st century, its
ly lost all prior a
Juries are no Ion
distinguishing a
suit from a genu
recent passage o
gests. And now,
John Ashcroft, p
trusted to seek a
ed criminals.
Ashcroft rele
stating that pros
serious, readily
and not employ
overriding circu
New York Time
stated by Justic<
Corallo, is to “n
convicted of a c
differently than
the same exact <
Parity of sen
the several state
directive require
the court ’s cons
Aggies d
the code
In the early
Sept. 7, after 1
football game
Aggie came by
Reed Arena a
chairs from the
had left under
went to sleep. 1
note with the
“UTA SUXS, Al
When I car
College in 195
rule: Aggies do
If you had si
chairs, you she
and asked for
probably given
On Sept. 27,
Lot 100 for the
be parked clos
minimize the di